Can't Go Back
by Big Glasses Girl FanFic
Summary: Jack Kelly has many unrelated brothers and now, he has a little sister too. He loves and protects her but, what happens when she gets taken away?


**Ok, I always love to imagine Jack Kelly as the protective older brother figure. I don't know how long this story is going to be or how often I'll update it. My biggest priority for writing right now is The Alley Girl and it will be until I finish it. I'll try an update maybe once a week but I don't know. Please leave a review being honest about what you think because if you don't like it then I know not to write for it anymore.**

1896

It had been a long day with a boring headline and fourteen year old Jack Kelly had just finished selling his papers and was ready to get home. It was cold and getting dark out and he knew that he needed to get home quick, the streets of New York City were no place to be at night. He was in a smaller part of the city with not too many people and was about to turn the corner when he heard someone talking on the other side.

"Hey lil' girl where's do you's thinks you's is goin'?" said a man obviously drunk and slurring his words. "Please leave me alone sir." He heard a girl's timid voice say. All Jack wanted to do was rush in and help the girl but he knew it wasn't his place. "Just stay quiet." He thought to himself as he bit his cheeks to keep from calling out, even though anger was building up inside of himself. "She'll be fine." Just then, Jack heard a sound of skin on skin; the man had slapped her.

Jack turned and heard a thud and turned the corner to see that the man was pinning the girl against the side of the brick wall. He had both of her small wrists in his large grimy hand above her head and had his other hand on her waist. "Why's don't we have a little fun now sweetheart?" the man said in her ear. The girl was squirming trying to get away but it was no use, he was too strong.

Jack couldn't take it anymore. "Hey!" he yelled as he began to run over to help the girl. Both the girl and the man turned to look at him and the man sneered at him, "Aw lookie here! We's got a little knight in shining armor now don't we's?" "Get off of 'er!" Jack shouted at the man as he shoved him away from her.

The man stumbled back and was so drunk that he fell over and landed on the sidewalk. He slowly go to his feet. "Whaateversss!" he said slurring his words again. "She ain't even that pretty anyway." Then he stumbled away down the road, engulfed by the now dark night sky.

Jack turned to the girl who was still against the wall with a look of terror on her face. "Hey," he said softly. "Are you's ok?" The girl nodded slightly and Jack got a good look at the girl, she had light brown hair and blue eyes which were wide with fright. Her skirt was torn and had patches all over it. And she was so skinny, Jack couldn't get over how skinny she was.

"You got any place to go?" he asked her gently. She shook her head and looked at the ground. "What's your name?" she asked him quietly. "Jack." He said. "Jack Kelly. I'm a newsie." She looked up at him. "I'm Lucy." She said softly.

"I need to leave now." She whispered as she began to walk quickly down the street. "Hey, hey! Lucy wait!" Jack called out jogging after her. "You needs to come back to the lodging house with me." He said looking at her. He noticed that she didn't have a coat or jacket and that her arms were bare. She wouldn't be able to survive many cold nights without sleeves. "That's where me's and a buncha udda newsies live. It's warm and you can sleep in a bed." Her eyes lit up. "Really?" she asked.

"Yeah sure." Jack said as he started in the direction of the lodging house. "Ok." She said as she began following him. They walked together in silence until the past an alleyway. They heard garbage cans rustling and Lucy jumped and grabbed onto Jack's hand.

"Lucy," he said gently. "It's ok. IT's probably just a rat or somethin'." They kept walking down the street in silence and Lucy kept her hand in his. "How old are ya Lucy?" he asked her as they continued on. "I'm eleven." She answered. "How old are you?" He smiled, happy to know that she was friendly enough to try and make conversation. "I'se fourteen." He told her.

They just had to go around the block and they would be at the lodging house. He was about to tell her so when he felt her small hand go limp in his own and she began to fall to the ground.

"Whoa there!" said Jack catching her before she fell. "Lucy is you's ok?" She shook her head and leaned against Jack's chest. "I'm not feelin to good." She murmured. Then her eyes closed, her body went limp, and she was barely breathing.

Jack quickly scooped her up in his arms, feeling how sickly frail she was, and walked quickly back to the lodging house. He turned the corner and saw one of the other newsies, Race, sitting on the stairs in front of the door to the lodging house.

When Race saw Jack he stood up, "Jack where's ya been?" he exclaimed. "We's all been worried sick and Crutchie has been tryin' to go out and look for ya and-'' Race stopped finally taking notice of the unconscious girl in Jack's arms. "Oh." He said. "Race," Jack said. "Would ya do me a favor? Shut your trap and open the door!"

Race opened the big oak door and Jack stepped inside getting hit with a blast of warm air. He walked into the bunkroom with Lucy and heard the loud chatter of all the boys which went quiet when he walked in.

"Someone clear off a bunk." He ordered and immediately a bunk was cleared with nothing but a mattress, a pillow and a blanket. Jack made his way over to the empty bunk and gingerly laid Lucy down, all the other boys were watching and Jack draped a blanket over the girl's small body.

When he turned around he was instantly tackled by a bear hug from his best friend, a thirteen year old boy named Crutchie. "Jack!" he cried. "We's was so worried! We thought that da Delanceys had gotten ya or somethin!"

Jack smiled and ruffled his friend's hair. "I'm fine crutch." He said. "Just, someone needed help." He looked over at the sleeping girl. The boys all looked at her. "What's 'er name?" a voice piped up. "Her name is Lucy." Jack said addressing the boys. "And I expect everyone one of ya's to treat 'er with respect, got it?"

There was a wave a nods and a chorus of "Yes Jack" when Jack clapped his hands together. "Good. Now everyone go to bed, we's got papes to sell tomorrow!" Boys made their back to their bunks and Jack had Race help him push another bunk closer to Lucy's so that if she woke up, he would hear her.

Everyone climbed into bed and Elmer flicked off the lights. "Night everyone.' Jack called out from his bunk. He heard several replies and yawns and because his bunk was right next to the wall he looked out the window at the stars just thinking and then, he fell asleep.


End file.
